A Mother's Love
by Laura Kay
Summary: WIP Albus and Minerva want to have a baby. Still not a great summary. ADMM, some AWMW. Chapter 3: the big news!
1. Chapter One

Ok, I've had this for a couple of weeks now, but due to a lack of computer-availability I haven't had the chance to type it up.  Not that this should particularly interest you, but I felt the need to share. : )  Anyhoo, this story depends on Minerva and Albus having a strong friendship with Arthur and Molly Weasley.  I don't know why they do, but I don't think it is out of the question either.  So… enjoy!

Summary:  Arthur and Molly visit Albus and Minerva for supper one night…  Ladies and Gents, we have here the world's worst summary!!  Just read it…please?  AD/MM, slight, slight AW/MW 

Rated: PG for now.  It might change to PG-13, but I doubt it.  Depends what mood I'm in when I'm writing. : )

Disclaimer:  The stuff you recognize is JK Rowling's.  The stuff you don't recognize is mine, but it was inspired by JK Rowling.

A Mother's Love 

by Laura

            Albus Dumbledore watched his wife from the doorway between the kitchen and dining room.  Minerva was setting the table, no difficult task he knew, but the sight fascinated him, nonetheless.  She moved with a grace that made it seems as if she were dancing rather than walking around the table.  Deceptively delicate-looking arms and hands carried plates and sorted cutlery.  Nimble fingers folded napkins precisely and easily.

            Feeling his eyes on her, Minerva glanced up, never once breaking her pace.  Shaking her head, she returned her attention to the napkins.  She had long since given up on asking Albus what he found so intriguing about her doing simple tasks, as his answers rarely made much sense.  Finishing folding Minerva began to place the napkins around the table, ending with her back towards her husband.  She glanced across the table to see if she had forgotten anything.

            Albus stole up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist.  "It looks beautiful.  Like you," he said, kissing the back of her neck.

            Minerva smiled and leaned back into his embrace. "Flatterer."

            "Goddess."

            She laughed and turned within the circle of his arms to kiss his cheek.  Albus turned his head and caught her lips with his own. They let the kiss linger for a moment.

Suddenly, the fireplace in the living room roared into life and deposited a young, redheaded wizard carrying a redheaded toddler who was clapping his hands together gleefully, clearly having enjoyed the trip.

 "Not interrupting anything, am I Professors?" the man asked with a grin, noting from the living room the blushing faces of Albus and Minerva, who had sprang apart at the noise of the fireplace.

Minerva cleared her throat and bustled into the living room.  "Of course not, Arthur.  What gave you that idea?"  She started dusting soot off both man and child.

"Perhaps the fact that you won't meet my eyes?"  Arthur replied chuckling.  Minerva defiantly raised her eyes to his, but then blushed and smiled as she glanced away again.

Albus's eyes twinkled.  "Well, she certainly proved you wrong."  Walking forward, he shook Arthur's free hand.  "Where's your wife?"

"She should be along shortly," he said turning towards the fireplace.  "She was giving the house a last glance and saw something she had forgotten to pack.  How is it that the smaller the child is, the more you need to bring?"

Minerva smiled and held her arms out to the boy.  He smiled back and fairly jumped from his father's arms into hers.

"Hi Aunt 'Neva!" he said.

"Hi Billy-Boy!  How's the big brother?"

"Firsty," he replied seriously. "Can I've some lemolade?"

"Bill," his father said warningly.

"Please, Aunt 'Neva, can I've some lemolade?" Bill amended.

"You're in luck Bill, I just made some lemonade," Minerva answered, ignoring his grammar and carrying him into the kitchen.

The two men watched her go, and then Albus turned back to Arthur.  "So how is life at The Burrow?" he said, referring to the house the young man had recently bought.

"Wonderful.  I have two healthy sons, a beautiful wife, and now a home of my very own.  Though I think my mother was sad to see us go."  The young family had been staying with Arthur's widowed mother until they could stand on their own feet.  "She rather enjoyed having us for company."

"Well, that means she'll be happy to baby-sit," reasoned Albus.

"Here, here," Arthur agreed, just as green fire erupted from the hearth behind him and a redheaded woman carrying a blanket-swathed baby in her arms and a large, cloth bag over her shoulder joined the men.

"Ah, Molly, glad you could join us.  I think you've gotten more lovely since I saw you last," Albus said as he took the bag from her.

"You know, I'm not sure how proper it is for you to be flirting with your former students," Molly replied, blushing and smiling all the same.

"Why not?  I married one of them, didn't I?" Albus replied cheerfully, as Minerva walked back into the room.  She was carrying a tray of cheese and crackers in one hand, and Bill in the other.  Bill also had his hands full, with a cracker-cheese sandwich and a small cup of lemonade, his favorite.

Minerva set the tray on a table and Bill on the floor as she eyed her husband.  "I'm afraid what to ask you married one of."

"A beautiful woman, of course," Albus replied.

Minerva raised an eyebrow suspiciously, but turned to Molly and embraced her.  "I'm so glad you could come to dinner," she said.

"Well, we weren't going to turn down our former Headmaster and Head of House, were we?" Molly said, returning the hug with one arm

Minerva pulled back and lifted a corner of the blanket to reveal a tiny head covered in soft, red-blonde hair.  "Oh Molly, he's adorable!"

"Yes, our newest pride and joy.  He'll be a week old tomorrow."

"Little baby Charlie," Minerva breathed.  "Can I hold him?"

"Of course," Molly said, gently handing the baby to the professor.  Charlie scrunched up his face and made a quiet whining noise as he was being passed, but the he snuggled down into Minerva's arms as she slowly walked to a rocking chair and sat down.

Albus got Molly and Arthur drinks and they sat down, too.  The four adults chatted and watched Bill play with the toys he had brought, and then adjourned to the dining room once supper was ready.  The steady stream of comfortable conversation was interrupted only near the end of dessert by Charlie's loud cry announcing he was still hungry.  Molly took him into the living room to nurse him as Arthur and Albus started discussing the new Muggle-Wizard relations decree that was about to be passed.  Bill declared that he was done eating, too, and wanted to get down from the table and play, so Minerva took him into the living room.

Minerva and Bill sat on the living room floor and bill gathered his toys.  As Minerva played with him, she held a quiet conversation with Molly, who was sitting on the couch feeding Charlie, about the younger woman's plans for decorating her new house.

Albus and Arthur, still deep in conversation, started to clear the table.  Minerva heard them and called out "Arthur Weasley, don't touch those dishes!  I'll not have a guest cleaning in my house!"

But Arthur called back laughing, "Too late, there's no stopping us now!"

Minerva smiled wryly.  "Ten points from Gryffindor, for disobeying a teacher," she muttered.

Bill laughed.  "You funny, Aunt 'Neva," he said.

Minerva raised her eyebrows.  "I hope you think it's funny if I really mean it when I say it to you at Hogwarts.  Though if you can't manage 'Minerva,' I don't know how you'll get through 'Professor McGonagall.'"

Bill considered this.  "P'fess Gonall!" he tried.

Minerva laughed.  "Close enough for now."  Glancing up, she saw Molly staring fondly at her.  "What?"

Molly shook her head as she burped Charlie.  "I was just thinking about how different 'Minerva' is from 'Professor McGonagall.'"

Minerva tilted her head to one side, contemplating this.  "Yes, I suppose I am much more strict in the classroom."  Molly gave her a look that clearly said,_ You suppose?_ and Minerva laughed.  "It's not even a conscious change anymore.  But my father was the same way."

"You're father was a professor?  I didn't know that."

"He was the Potions teacher before Professor Kedley.  He retired a few years before I started teaching."

"Retired?  He couldn't have been that old, could he?"

"No, he was only 108, but he decided to take a job at the Ministry of Magic, researching and developing new potions.  Better pay, he said, but I think it was because he was able to spend more time at home."  Minerva smiled at the memory.  "He was a great big man, but so much fun.  So long as you dinnae run afoul of him, he was as harmless as a wee kitten."  Her accent deepened as she journeyed back into her childhood.  "All of us kids loved playing with him.  But I remember once, he took me to Hogwarts for a few days, when I was about seven, I think, and I sat in on one of his lessons.  Hardly a soul dared step out o' line.  I was a wee bit scared meself."  Minerva shook her head slightly.

"That must be it then, where you got it from," Molly said.  "You were quite frightening in school."

Minerva chuckled.  "It's a gift."  Then, tentatively she looked up at Molly.  "Can I hold Charlie?"

"Of course!" said Molly, who had just finished feeding him.  Minerva stood up to take Charlie in her arms, and then sat back down in her rocking chair again, as the men came into the living room.  Albus sat on the floor next to Bill, and Arthur sat down next to Molly on the couch.  The three adults struck up a conversation while Albus charmed some of Bills toys to move of their own accord.

But Minerva was almost completely oblivious to all of this.  She had her attention focused on the baby in her arms.  She couldn't get over how tiny and soft he was.  How good he smelled. How warm and comfortable his weight was in her arms.  She studied his little sleeping face.  Minerva marveled at how delicate and perfect he was, from his tiny little nose and lips, to every little eyelash.  From the sparse hair on his head, Minerva could tell his hair was going to be just as red as his parents's and brother's.  Charlie opened his eyes and looked straight into Minerva's.  She quite nearly melted.

After awhile, Arthur stood up and said they should be going.  Thanking Albus and Minerva for dinner, Arthur and Molly gathered up the various things they had brought with them.  Minerva reluctantly handed Charlie back to Molly.  With two green roars of fire, the Weasleys were gone.

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            When Albus came out of the bathroom, Minerva was already curled up in the middle of their bed.  She was holding open a book entitled _Prince Charming: Cinderella Speaks_.  Her eyes were on the page, but unmoving, and Albus knew she wasn't actually reading.

            He walked over and sat on his side of the bed.  "What's wrong?"

Minerva looked up, only realizing he was in the room when he spoke.  "Nothing," she said.

Albus looked at her seriously.  That 'Nothing' would have fooled most people, but not him.  It was slightly too honest, and her eyes slightly too innocent.  But Albus let it go for a moment.  Instead he asked, "Are you going to give me any room tonight?"

Minerva smiled ruefully and scooted over to her side of the bed.  Albus climbed under the covers and lay back against the pillows.  Then he pulled the book out of his wife's hands.

"Hey!" Minerva cried indignantly.  "I was reading that!"

"No, you weren't," Albus said calmly and pulled Minerva close to him.

Minerva opened her mouth to disagree, but then conceded; she _hadn't_ been reading.  And she wasn't opposed to snuggling with her husband.  She relaxed against him, resting her head on his shoulder and letting her hand lay on his chest.

After a few moments, Albus broke the silence.  "So, are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

Minerva picked her head up to look him in the eye.  "Nothing is wrong, Albus."  But he just raised his eyebrows and held her gaze.  Minerva had to look away.  "Damn you," she muttered under her breath as her eyes filled with tears, sitting up and scrubbing a hand across her eyes.

Albus sat up, too, and wrapped his arms around her, feeling the smooth fabric of her satin nightgown.  "Minerva, whatever it is, just tell me.  Tell me what I can do."  It tore at his heart to see her upset.

Minerva turned to face him, but looked at her hands in her lap.  "I know we never discussed it, but I—Well, I just don't know how you'd feel about the idea, and I—it's just—"

Albus cupped her chin with his hand and raised her head so he could see her eyes.  "Say it, love."

Minerva swallowed hard.  "I want a baby."

Whatever Albus had been expecting, this certainly wasn't it.  He raised his eyebrows in surprise and let his hand fall back to the bed.  Minerva rushed forward, as if she were afraid he would object before she'd spoken her mind.

"I was holding Charlie tonight and I could feel his little body in my arms.  I could feel his tiny heartbeat and his lungs expanding and even his little stomach gurgling.  And I realized I was holding a tiny, perfect _life_ in my arms.  And my heart just said, 'I want to make a life.'  I want to have a baby of my own.  Of our own."  Minerva shifted so that she was kneeling on the bed completely facing Albus.  "I want a little boy with black hair and blue eyes," she said touching Albus's cheek.  "Or a little girl with my concentration and your temper," she smiled.

Albus covered her hand with his own.  "My dear, a McGonagall girl with a calm temper?  I hardly think so."

Minerva laughed and couldn't stop herself from leaning forward to hug him.  Albus pulled her into his lap and she only drew back slightly to look into his eyes again.  "I want to have a baby, Albus," she said simply, honestly.

Albus smiled slowly.  "Then let's have a baby."

"Really?"

"Minerva, I can't believe you were so worried about this.  What man wouldn't want to have children, have his own flesh and blood passed on, remade into new life?" Albus asked.

Minerva stared at him in happy disbelief for a moment before capturing his lips with hers and kissing him passionately.  Albus kept one hand wrapped around her waist, while he buried the other in her soft black hair.  Together they leaned back on the bed as the kiss deepened.  When they broke the kiss for the purpose of air, they stared into each other's eyes.  Volumes were spoken in that gaze, words that couldn't be defined, a language that no one could translate, but clear as day to Albus and Minerva, at that moment, and late into the night.

Ok, now it's up to you to help me decide.  Should I leave this as a little one shot, or should I write more?  And if I write more, is there anything in particular you'd care to hear about?  Because I'm a little stuck here…  I hope you enjoyed the story (or chapter?).  This might be my favorite thing I've written so far. : )  Review please!  Laura


	2. Chapter Two

WOW!  I got SO much support from you guys!  You are all AMAZING!  

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If you didn't read it up there, this chapter is dedicated to petriebird18 and Teagal7. Hugs and cookies to you both!

For everyone who asked for it (and even those who didn't) here is chapter two!  And there's some more Arthur/Molly too!

2 months later

            Minerva sat in the backyard of the Burrow.  The two-story house was charming, Minerva thought.  This was her first trip to her former students house.  Molly had finally made the house "presentable for company," as she had put it.  Minerva had come for lunch and now the two women were sitting outside enjoying the late July sun, watching Bill splash at the edge of the small pond.  Minerva was holding Charlie.

            The little baby had grown over the past two months.  His bright blue eyes—now able to see much more clearly—roamed from object to object, taking in as much as possible.  He babbled nonsense quietly when anyone held him.  Minerva balanced him in a standing position on her lap, and he was strong enough to hold himself up for a while.  When his knees gave way she cradled him against her again and he fell back to making happy sounds.

            Bill was trying to catch a frog as he waded up to his knees in the pond.  The frog kept hopping away on lily pads toward deeper water.  Minerva worried for a moment and asked Molly if he was okay by himself, but Molly simply nodded her head.  Sure enough, when Bill tried to take another step, a translucent sort of wall appeared, shimmering in front of him for a moment, then disappeared again, but he could go no further.

            "Arthur put up a charm to stop Bill from going too deep," Molly explained.  "The funniest thing is when Arthur forgets it's there and tries to jump in."

            Minerva imagined the redheaded man throwing himself headlong at a wall and winced as she laughed.  Molly offered to get them some lemonade, so Minerva turned her attention back to the baby in her arms.  Charlie had turned face so he was pressing against her chest.  She thought it was to hide his face from the sun until he began working his mouth against her breast, trying to feed.  "Well, firstly, my dear," she chuckled, shifting him so he was lying on her lap with his feet against her stomach, "it doesn't work with clothes on. And secondly," she said, blowing softly on his feet, "you're not going to get anything from me."  Charlie smiled and squirmed slightly as she tickled him.

            Molly came back with the lemonade and Minerva handed Charlie back to his mother so she could feed him.  Bill came running as soon as he saw the pitcher, so Minerva poured two glasses and a plastic cup of lemonade.  Bill climbed up on Minerva's lap as he gulped his drink thirstily.  The two of them held a little conversation about the frog he had almost caught.  Once he had finished the lemonade, he ran off to the edge of the pond again.

            Molly was smiling at Minerva when the older woman turned back to her drink.  "You'd be a wonderful mother," she said simply.

            Minerva blinked, taken aback.  Then she smiled slowly.  "Well, I'm glad you think so.  That will come in useful."

            Molly gaped at her.  "Minerva, are you…?"

            "Pregnant?"  Minerva shook her head.  "No.  But Albus and I are trying."

            Molly let out a shriek that caused Charlie to stop eating and Bill to look back at the ladies from where he stood by the pond.  "Oh, how wonderful!" she cried.

            Minerva wrinkled her nose as she smiled.  "It is, isn't it?  I haven't told anyone else yet.  It's sort of exciting."

            Molly laughed.  "Just wait until you get to tell people that you're pregnant!  It's even more fun."

            They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments.  Charlie finished eating and Molly held him up against her shoulder to burp him.  Minerva watched her, feeling a spark of envy.  She thought of how Charlie felt in her arms, how it felt when he tried to get milk from her.  She sighed.

            "What's wrong?"  Molly asked, noting the troubled look on Minerva's face.

            Minerva spoke hesitantly.  "You and Arthur never really had to _try_, did you?  I mean, Bill and Charlie sort of came about on their own."

            Molly smirked slyly.  "Well, it wasn't quite on their own.  Arthur and I helped a little."

            Minerva blushed.  "Well, yes, but you never had to plan for it, right?  You never had to…work for it?"  She was now a deep pink color.

            Molly couldn't help but laugh at her former professor.  "You're really uncomfortable talking about sex, aren't you?"

            Minerva covered her face with her hands as she blushed even deeper.  "This is not the conversation I want to have with a student."

            Molly shook her head.  "I'm not a student anymore, and we aren't talking about sex.  We are two mature woman talking about conceiving a child," she said matter-of-factly.             Minerva continued to blush, but uncovered her face and sighed her acceptance.  "Now, what's the problem?"

            "Well… I suppose I'm just impatient.  Albus and I have only been trying for two months, and some people try for years, but… I want a baby now," Minerva said.  "I suppose that sounds very selfish of me."

            "Not at all.  I think it sounds perfectly natural.  Besides," she added with a smirk, "I don't remember you ever being very patient."

            Minerva glared at her.  "Thank you so much, dear" she said dryly.  Standing, she said, "I suppose I'd better be getting back home.  I need to pack some more things up before I go to Hogwarts tonight."

            Molly stood too, carefully, so as not to wake Charlie, who had just fallen asleep.  "I can't believe your summer is almost over.  When do you have to be back at the school?"

            "Two weeks, but I'm starting the moving process early this year.  It always seems very rushed and panicked when we leave it until later.  It amazes me how many things Albus and I have at the cottage that we need at the castle.  You'd think we could leave some of it behind."  Minerva sighed and walked over to say goodbye to Bill before following Molly into the house to use the fireplace.

            "Minerva," Molly said, before the older woman left, "Arthur's mother is a strange woman."

            Minerva laughed.  "Yes, I've met her."

            "But she's a smart woman too.  And she always says 'Good things come to those who wait.  Even if those who wait get crabby from waiting so long.  Eventually, their good thing will come.'"

            Minerva and Molly regarded each other solemnly for a moment, and then burst out laughing.  "Thanks for that," Minerva said, and then she was gone.

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            Molly Weasley was sitting, half-asleep, bathed in moonlight, in a chair in her bedroom.  Arthur walked quietly into the room so as not to wake her, but she started anyway, then rose to greet him.  Arthur kissed her kissed her briefly and slid his hands down her arms to link his fingers with hers.

            "I'm sorry I had to work so late on such short notice, dear."

            "It's quite all right, Arthur.  Do you want me to fix something for you to eat?"

            "Oh no, dear," he said, sitting in her vacated chair and pulling her down to sit on his lap. "I had some sandwiches at work."

            Molly made to stand up.  "A few sandwiches is not a meal, let me make you something."

            Arthur pulled her back and wrapped his arms around her waist to stop her from going.  "Just stay here with me, please?"

            Molly relented and draped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek before resting her head against his.  "How was your day?"

            Arthur sighed.  "Long and hard.  But better since I saw you."  Molly laughed softly and kissed his lips this time, letting the kiss linger.  When they pulled back, Arthur said, "But I'd rather talk about your day.  How did it go?  Did Professor McGonagall come by for lunch?"

            "Yes, she did.  She likes the house.  She agreed with you, though, about you needing to build a shed or garage or what-have-you."

            Arthur smiled.  "She always was a smart woman."

            Molly stifled a yawn.  "Let's go to bed, love."  Arthur nodded and the couple stood up.  Arthur changed out of his work robes before joining Molly under the covers.  She smiled and snuggled closer to him and he wrapped his arms around her again.

            "Good night, Mr. Weasley."

            "Good night, Mrs. Weasley."  Her smile widened and she kissed her husband.

            "That's what I was thinking of before you came in, you know," she said, laying her head down next to his on the pillow.  "I'm Mrs. Weasley.  But Minerva is almost never called Mrs. or even Professor Dumbledore.  Most people who know her well enough to know that she and Albus are married already call her by her first name."

            "That's the way it has to be, dear," Arthur said sleepily.  "They both have too many enemies to let everyone know that they are married."

            "I know, Arthur, that's what I was thinking about.  And how will they explain a baby?  Oh!"  She said suddenly, picking her head up.  "I forgot to tell you!"

            "They're having a baby?"  Arthur asked smiling.

            "They're trying to get pregnant," Molly corrected.

            Arthur smiled on into the dark.  "Good.  I've always thought they'd be good parents.  Albus was almost like a father to me anyway."  Molly yawned again as she nodded her agreement.  "But we'll talk about it over breakfast, love.  Now, we sleep.

            Molly nodded again, kissed his cheek, and they drifted off to sleep.

Whew!  I like this story.  Even if I do kind of throw in random things every once in a while.  So, now tell me what you think, please.


	3. Chapter Three

Ack!  Bad Laura!  No updates for how long?  Oh the shame…  But I'm back now : )  And I don't have much to say.  Except does anyone watch/read The Worst Witch?  Because I just started watching and reading and now I'm in love with it.  That is all.

Chapter Three

December (5 months later)

"Uncle Albus!" said Bill as his mother set him down in Dumbledore's living room.  Albus stood up from where he'd been reading on the sofa.  He scooped up the boy, brushing some soot off Bill's small robes.

"Well hello, Mr. Weasley," Albus said as Molly tried to calm a fussy Charlie down.

Bill laughed.  "Daddy is Mr. Weasley.  I'm Bill."

Albus had to laugh at this.  "So you are, my boy."  He turned to Molly.  "A fun day of Christmas shopping ahead for you?"

Molly gave him a look of exasperation.  "Yes, lots of fun, fighting through the mobs in stores, trying to carry all your packages without getting crushed and mangled, and I'll bet I'll have walked five miles just around Diagon Alley by the end of today."

Albus winced.  "Perhaps not so much fun then.  If it makes you fells any better, I won't be having much fun today either.  I'm off to the Ministry of Magic for a council of the Wizengamot."

Bill broke in.  "Where's Aunt 'Neva?"

"She's coming," Albus replied.

"She's here," Minerva corrected, coming through the door.  "Sorry, I was grading some papers in my office and lost track of time."

Bill wriggled out of Dumbledore's arms and ran over to Minerva.  "Aunt 'Neva, can we go see the Great Hall?"

"Arthur has been going on about the Christmas decorations at Hogwarts for weeks," Molly explained.

Minerva smiled and scooped Bill up in a hug.  "Of course we can go look at the decorations.  Would you like to come too, Molly?"

Molly shook her head.  "I'd like to get going.  I'll look at them when I get back, if that's all right?"

Minerva nodded, set Bill down, and took Charlie from Molly.  "Have a lovely time," she said smirking, and Molly rolled her eyes before kissing her sons goodbye and taking the floo network to the Leaky Cauldron.

"I should go too, dear," Albus said.  He shook Bill's hand formally, causing the little boy to giggle, and kissed Minerva before exiting the same way Molly had.

Minerva turned and offered her hand to Bill.  "Well Billy-Boy, let's go see those decorations."

They exited Albus's living room into his office, and then down the spiral staircase.  Minerva was glad for the moving stairs; she had been very tired lately.  She was glad it was Christmas and she could relax.

Out in the hallway, Bill let go of Minerva's hand and started running ahead of her.  Minerva's teacher side kicked in.  "No running in the halls, please."

Bill slowed to a halt and froze mid-step so one foot was suspended in the air.  He stayed that way, struggling to balance, until Minerva caught up with him, and then he fell into stride with her.

The Great Hall was done up in all it's usual magnificence.  Several huge trees had been brought in and decorated.  Garland and mistletoe bedecked the walls and tinsel glittered everywhere.  Minerva's favorite decorations were the four house trees.  In each corner stood a tree that one of the houses had been permitted to decorate.  Apart from being bedizened with baubles of the house colors, the students had enchanted and decorated their tree as the wished.  The seventh year Ravenclaws had cast an enchantment so that a single flame spiraled down their tree and then back up to the tip of it.  The Slytherin tree was being watered with a particular potion that made its color change from green to silver and back again every fifteen minutes (Minerva suspected this was Severus Snape's doing).  Lily Evans had charmed the ornaments on the Gryffindor tree to glow and fade intermittently, and at random mealtimes the tree would give a great *BANG*, startling the students closest to it.  She didn't know who was responsible for this, but from the knowing looks that passed between Sirius Black and James Potter each time it happened, Minerva had a strong suspicion.

Bill's jaw had dropped when they had entered the hall, and now he let out a whoop pf excitement and started running between tables towards the staff table.  Minerva smiled as she watched him; no one was here, and she could see where he was, unlike when he ran in the halls, so she let him be, following him to the staff table at a much slower pace, talking in low tones to Charlie.  She sat down in her chair with Charlie sitting in her lap so he could look out at the room.

Charlie ran the length of the staff table, and then came back and climbed into the headmaster's chair.  "Who sits here?" he asked.

Minerva glanced around to be sure no one was in the proximity.  "Uncle Albus sits there."

"Do you sit there?"

"Yes, I do."

Bill nodded.  "Mommy always sits next to Daddy at our table."

Minerva glanced around again to make sure no one could have overheard him and inferred anything.  Bill laughed at her and asked why she kept twisting around.

"Just paranoid, I suppose," she said smiling and bouncing Charlie in her lap.  "It's hard to keep a secret when a three-year-old is in it.  Besides, it's not like there aren't enough rumors going on around about Albus and I anyway."

Bill hadn't understood much of this so he changed the subject.  "I'm firsty."

Minerva smiled at him.  "Are you?  Hmm…  Should we get you some water?"  Bill shook his head.  "How about… milk?  Hot chocolate?"  He shook his head again and giggled.  "Pumpkin juice?  Apple juice?"  Bill was bouncing with laughter now.  "What then?"  Bill stood up on Albus's chair and leaned over to whisper in her ear.  Minerva automatically reached out to steady him as she listened to him.

"Lemolade?  You want Lemolade?"  She feigned surprise but couldn't hold back a smile.  "I'd never have guessed."  Standing up she offered him her hand.  "Let's go get some then."

Down in the vast kitchens, the house-elves had just been getting started on lunch, but they were only too glad to get Bill some lemonade.  They also prepared a bottle for Charlie and a cup of tea for Minerva.  She was grateful for this, as she hoped it would calm her stomach, which had suddenly stared churning.

Bill and Minerva sat down at as small table with their drinks and Minerva still held Charlie, declining Bill's offer to hold him instead.

Bill was quite amused by the house-elves, and they seemed quite taken with him too.  Bill introduced Charlie to each elf that came to check on them.  The boy seemed very happy with his baby brother, giving him a kiss, which Minerva was certain would leave Charlie with a sticky, lemonade scented forehead.

Minerva finished her tea, but it hadn't helped her stomach much.  In fact, the longer she stayed in the kitchens, the worse her stomach felt.  She suspected it had something to do with the roast the elves were preparing for lunch.  Though it didn't usually make her nauseous, she'd never been overly fond of raw meat.  Fortunately, Bill finished his lemonade quickly and Minerva and the boys were free to leave the kitchens.

The three went to Minerva's office and private rooms at Bill's request, so he could see if anything had changed since his last visit—this had been over a year ago, so Minerva wondered if he remember what they looked like at all—and then returned to Albus's living room.

Bill had fun exploring this room for a while.  It, like the office below it, held several small silver contraptions, which were enough to hold Bill's interest anyway, but the room was also full of photographs of family, friends, former students, and so on, so Bill entertained himself by asking "who's this?" every half minute.  Minerva identified everyone she could, even though Bill didn't know most of the people she named.

Bill tired of the pictures.  "Can I have a lemon drop?"

Minerva chuckled.  "I though you were going to ask for some more lemonade."  She paused, not loving the idea of giving the toddler small, hard candy.  "If you sit by me and don't jump around you can have one.  Why don't we read a story?"

Bill agreed, but Charlie seemed to think a nap was a better idea than a story.  Minerva settled him in a crib she had transfigured in Albus's bedroom and he fell asleep almost immediately.  She left the door open a crack so she could hear him if he cried and then returned to the living room with a children's book and a lemon drop for Bill.  He ate his treat and listened to the story, sitting on Minerva's lap very calmly as promised.  It seemed to mellow him; when the story was over, he seemed very sleepy.  He twisted around to hug her.

"I love you Aunt 'Neva."

Minerva smiled and was surprised to find herself so touched that she had to blink back tears.  "I love you too, Billy-Boy."

"You're a good mommy.  You're just like my mommy."

Now Minerva couldn't hold back the tears.  They splashed down her face and onto Bill's head.  He looked up and saw her crying.  "Don't cry, Aunt 'Neva, I'm sorry!"

This only made Minerva cry more, though she tried her best to stem the flow of tears.  "Oh no, Bill," she said hugging him tightly  "You didn't do anything wrong."

His sadness was replaced by curiosity.  "Why are you crying?"

Minerva hesitated.  She wasn't sure why she was crying, but she did know why she was upset.  "Bill, Uncle Albus and I want to have a baby of our own, we want to be a daddy and a mommy—"

"But that's not sad!"  Bill interrupted.

"I know, love, but we haven't had a baby yet.  We've wanted one for a long time but we haven't had one."  She tried to wipe away her tears but more fell.  She'd kept this inside for far too long, she supposed.

Bill frowned at her.  "I don't want you to be sad, Aunt 'Neva."

"I know.  But do you know what makes me happy?"  Bill shook his head.  "You.  You make me happy."

"Then why are you crying?"

"I don't know, Bill, but I'm smiling, aren't I?"  Bill nodded.  "So that means you make me happy even when I'm sad."

Bill contemplated this and then grinned.  He wrapped his arms around her neck, hugging her tightly.  This of course brought on another wave of tears from Minerva.

Bill pulled back to look at her.  "Stop crying," he commanded.

Minerva laughed and wiped at her eyes again.  "I can't.  I don't know what's wrong with me.  Maybe I'm getting sick.  I'm so emotional, and I'm tired, and…" She froze, her eyes wide, "…and nauseous…"

She couldn't be pregnant, could she?  She and Albus had been trying for months, but why should they have succeeded now?  And she had been checked by Poppy not two weeks ago, and the nurse had said the spell showed no sign of pregnancy.  So she couldn't be pregnant.  Could she?

By the time she had convinced herself to stop trying to convince herself one way or the other, Bill had fallen asleep in her lap.  She carried him to Albus's bedroom and laid him in the center of the big bed.  She checked on Charlie, who was still sound asleep, and walked towards the door to the living room, but was distracted by the mirror on the back of the door.  Knowing full well that even if she was pregnant she certainly wouldn't be showing yet, but she couldn't resist standing in front of the mirror, her eyes focused on her lower abdomen.  She rested her hand there, feeling nothing unusual, of course, and made her decision.  She had to know.  She marched into the living room to the fireplace.  Tossing a handful of floo powder into the flames, she called for Poppy.

She came right away, looking somewhat concerned over her friend's urgent tone.  "What's wrong, Minerva?"

"How accurate is the spell you cast to see if I'm pregnant?"

Poppy furrowed her brow.  "Fairly accurate.  Why?  What happened?"

"Is it possible that it was wrong?"

"Well, I suppose so, though I can't say it happens very often.  In fact—"

"I think I'm pregnant," Minerva interrupted.

Poppy's face softened.  "Oh Minerva.  I know how much you want a baby.  Don't you think this is just wishful thinking?"

"Of course I think that!"  Minerva exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air.  "That's why I called you!  I need you to tell me if I'm pregnant, or just crazy."

Poppy smiled, but her eyes retained the look of empathy for Minerva.  "I'll do the spell again, but please don't get your hopes up Minerva."

"I won't, I promise."  There was no truth in those words and both women knew it.

Poppy shook her head and instructed Minerva to lie on the couch.  She knelt next to her and began the incantation, her wand resting on Minerva's stomach.  Two strands of purple light slid out of the wand and criss-crossed their way across her abdomen, like the laces of a bodice.  They shone there for a moment, and then faded.

Poppy shook her head.  I'm sorry Minerva, but—"  The light strands had appeared again, this time glowing red.  Poppy's eyes grew wide and she raised her gaze to Minerva's face.  Minerva was staring at her stomach in shock.

"It didn't do that before," she said hesitantly.  "What does it mean?"

Poppy's face broke into a grin.  "What do you think it means?"

Minerva stared at her, not daring to believe.  "Poppy you said not to get my hopes up.  Why wouldn't it have worked last time?"

"I'm not sure Minerva, it may have been too early to tell, or the spell might just have been wrong, but—look!" Poppy cast the spell again, and again that purple laces faded and then glowed red.  "You're pregnant, Minerva!"

So many emotions surged through Minerva; joy, relief, disbelief, pride, excitement.  It was all too much for her; she burst into tears again, laughing and sobbing at the same time.

Poppy couldn't help but start crying too, as she embraced her friend.  She knew how much Minerva and Albus wanted a child; she was thrilled for them.

After a while, both women calmed down enough for Poppy to give Minerva some instructions on prenatal care.  Minerva promised to stop by the hospital wing later with Albus for full instructions.

Later, when Minerva looked back at the day, she had no idea how she'd gotten through it.  The boys finished their naps and Minerva had some lunch sent up for the three of them.  Molly returned to pick up her sons that afternoon looking very harassed and tired.  Minerva went about her business as usual except that she wore an odd dream-like expression, and every so often she would stare down at her stomach in amazement.  That evening found her lying on Albus's bed trying to take a nap, but to no avail—her emotions kept playing games with her minds and wouldn't let her rest.  She heard the fireplace in the living room roar, announcing Albus's return to the castle.

Minerva's heart skipped a beat as she heard him coming toward the bedroom.  She suddenly was very shy of him.

He came into the room and smiled when he saw her.  He sat on the bed next to her and leaned down to kiss her.  Minerva tried to arrange her face so as not to give her secret away, but this only seemed to alert Albus to the fact that she knew something.

"What happened?"  he asked.

Minerva's eyes widened with surprise.  "What do you mean?"

Albus eyed her suspiciously but didn't say anything.  Instead he got up to hang his traveling cloak in the wardrobe.  

Minerva got up and followed him.  "Actually there is something I need to tell you," she said.

He turned to face her, feigning surprise.  "Oh?"

Minerva hid her smile with a pout.  "If you're going to act that way, maybe I won't tell you."

Albus caught her arm as she turned away from him and turned her back to face him, wrapping his arms around her waist.  "I'm sorry."  He kissed her softly.  "What did you want to tell me?"

Minerva smiled, shy once more.  Albus always seemed to bring out the child in her that no one else ever saw.  Her behavior was even more odd, of course, considering the nature of what she had to tell him.

"Albus, I talked to Poppy today," she started, "and… she was wrong."

Albus wrinkled his forehead.  "Wrong about what?"

"About me being pregnant.  Well, really about me not being pregnant."

His eyes widened.  "You mean… you…we…"

Minerva nodded and smiled widely.  "We're going to have a baby," she breathed, before finding herself being lifted off her feet and spun around the room.  Laughing, she managed to tell Albus that this probably wasn't good for the baby.

He laid her on the bed.  "I'm sorry love, but…"  He broke off smiling.  "A baby?"

"A baby," she whispered back, pulling his head down to hers and kissing him deeply.  When they pulled apart, she said, "I promised Poppy that we'd go to the hospital wing to talk about prenatal healthcare and whatnot."

Albus nodded.  "Should we go now?"

Minerva stared up into his eyes for a moment before shaking her head.  "No, I think she can wait a while."

Albus smiled and lowered his lips to hers again.

Tra-la-la. : )  I have to thank all my reviewers now, because you all are the reason I felt so guilty for not updating for so long.  So HUGE thanks to:

Mascaret (wow, I'm honored!),        Britany Potter,             Captain Amelia,             ducky, isabelle3,             anon,             Sky Renae Snape (hey I love your stories!),                       LinZE(*cough*Hidden Truths*cough*),             petriebird18,                Altra Palantir,             Desiree,           Jestana (I love your stories too, except that I'm a bad girl and never review),             Aeryn Alexander (Hey!  Update A Simple Assignment!! Please!),                       CEA,               minni,               ObSidian10 (*gasp* you don't like AD/MM?),                   Gem8,              and Athenia McGonagall, 

Hugs and kisses to you all, I love you!!  And a humongous thanks to my friend Jamie because I have never written anything that she hasn't liked (at least she never says she doesn't like them)!!  And not only that, she lets me ramble on about Harry Potter and The Worst witch and anything I want.  Arigatou, dahling!  Ich liebe dich!  This chapter is for you! : ) 


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